Tag Archives: Fine Arts

The hits just keep coming for Associate Professor of Music Kris Carlisle. Recently, the chair of Berry’s fine arts department added The American Prize in Piano Performance Special Judge’s Citation: “Championing Piano Music by American Composers” to his impressive list of awards and honors. His winning CD, The American Evolution: Piano Sonatas, is part of a larger project exploring the way contemporary composers explore traditional genres.

In addition, Carlisle has been named chair of the Georgia Music Educators Association’s Piano Division for 2016-17.

Plans to build a new theatre on campus have a champion in Berry Board of Visitors member Audrey Morgan. She has made a challenge commitment to match the first $1 million in gifts to the project dollar for dollar – if the $3.3 million needed for the new theatre is raised by June 30. Her goal is to put fundraising on the fast track so that construction can begin next summer.

Audrey Morgan

“We learn so much about who we are as individuals and as a community through the arts,” Morgan said. “I am honored to help bring facilities to Berry that will give such wonderful, talented students new opportunity to grow artistically and personally. These improvements in support of the arts are important for the students and community at Berry and need to happen soon.”

News of Morgan’s challenge was met with excitement on social media and rousing applause during Mountain Day performances of The Nerd, the first production of Berry’s 2015-16 theatre season.

The planned theatre, an addition to Blackstone Hall, will provide a comfortable setting for an audience of 312. A modified thrust stage will be supported by state-of-the-art lighting, sound and curtain systems. A $1.9 million renovation of the main floor of Blackstone Hall will follow, providing a large acting studio/classroom, updated scene shop with paint booth, costume shop with dye area, dressing areas, meeting space, and offices.

Gifts (which literally will be doubled by the match – up to the first $1 million received) can be made online or by contacting Scott Breithaupt (91C, 96G) at sbreithaupt@berry.edu. Be sure to direct your gift to the theatre/Blackstone Hall project.

Berry’s music department will experience a changing of the guard this fall as Dr. Paul Neal (left) assumes the role of director of choral activities in place of Harry Musselwhite, who is retiring after 30 years.

Neal will join the Berry faculty after completing his tenure at Valdosta State University, where he oversees the choral program and serves as assistant director for the Valdosta Symphony Orchestra. His impressive resume also includes service as assistant conductor for the Angeles Chorale, one of the largest community choruses in the Los Angeles area, and as musical director for the Texas Shakespeare Festival. In addition, he spent two seasons as a performer for the Grammy-nominated Los Angeles Master Chorale.

While Musselwhite’s long tenure at Berry will soon draw to a close, he has no plans to slow down. Rather, this new chapter in his life will provide the perfect opportunity to pursue other creative interests.

“I am going full-time into the film and television professions as an actor, director and producer,” he said. “I already have a heavy schedule of auditions, as well as producing.”

He also hopes to finish the second edition of his children’s book.

Musselwhite will take up his Berry baton for the last time Sunday, April 12, when he leads the Berry Concert Choir and Berry Singers in a 3 p.m. performance at the college chapel. After retiring, he will relocate to the Southwest to join his wife, Dr. Laura Gilstrap Musselwhite (89C), the chief academic officer and dean of instruction for the University of New Mexico – Valencia.

A retirement party will be held Saturday, April 11, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Harvest Moon in Rome. Alumni wishing to attend should contact Jennifer Tucker Beard (93C, 00G).

Kathryn Dugger Nobles (82C) has been named a Maestro in Outstanding Achievement by Kindermusik International, the world’s leading publisher of music and movement programs for young children. The Maestro Conductor’s Circle represents the top 1 percent of Kindermusik educators worldwide. The longtime Berry faculty member celebrates her 25th anniversary with Kindermusik this fall. As director of Berry’s program, she and her colleagues serve more than 150 families each week with classes for children birth to age 7. They also provide valuable work experience for Berry students, several of whom have made Kindermusik their career.